A Princess Party

One of our friends just turned five years old.  The planning for her birthday bash--with a Disney princess theme--began weeks ago, and her mother asked if I would dress up as Ariel.  If you are somehow unfamiliar with the Disney princess movies, Ariel was a mermaid.

"Um, no," I answered.  (I'm such a good friend, aren't I?)

She asked me--the girl who had Prince Eric and Princess Ariel on my wedding invitations 21 years ago--a second time. "You have red hair!"

"No."

Foot down.

In her head, she was picturing something like this:

But in my head, I was thinking this:

And it wasn't going to happen. 

I mean, let's put this into perspective.  Prince Eric and Ariel married less than four years before my husband and I did.  Their wedding--and ours--was recorded on VHS.  And I was already in college when Belle, Jasmine and Pocahontas were added to the lineup.  What I'm trying to say is that I'm not exactly a spring chicken.  But I can be a chicken.

So, no purple bikini top and fishtail for this girl.

Then, I got to thinking.  What woman--including me--doesn't want to be a princess for a day?  And how often does one get asked?

So, I was Brave (see what I did there?) and went to the party like this:

Merida and Anna

photo by Carissa Renario

The kids loved it.  They told me they saw my movie, that I was the "real" Merida, that they wanted to shoot my bow and arrow. . . it was fun.  Little girls who were dressed as Belle, Anna, Ariel, Rapunzel and Aurora gathered to pose for photos.  The original two Disney princesses--Cinderella and Snow White--made appearances as well, delivering baskets of goodies for the starstruck little ones.

You know, years ago, when I was a missionary in Bolivia, I wrote the curriculum for a Princess Conference.  About 120 girls came over the course of three days, to learn about their inherent value as daughters of God the king.  I still believe the principles the girls heard that day.  I am loved by God and, as his daughter, I have certain rights and responsibilities like a princess.  I am grateful to him for that, and grateful for a day to put on a sweeping green skirt and remember.

I heard a woman in a store once say harshly that her daughter wasn't a princess--and that princesses don't exist.  But they do.  There are millions around the world with a "castle" in heaven, a royal lineage in Christ, beauty of spirit, tamed tongues of grace and inherent responsibilities to set a standard and do good on this earth.  May we women be like that and raise our daughters (if we have them) to be women like that.  You may not be wearing the dress today (although I encourage you to do so if you get the chance!), but live as royal princesses!